First year tutorial programme

The purpose of this tutorial programme is to enable you to develop the skills needed to be a successful undergraduate sociology student.

Specifically, the small tutorial groups, led by experienced tutors, create an active learning environment to better understand the type of reading and writing that are involved in becoming a competent user of the language of sociology.  Critical reading skills go beyond memorizing the textbook and involve a selective reading of a wide variety of texts. Critical writing skills involve using evidence effectively, arguing successfully against other positions and placing your own original arguments in the context of what other people have already said on the subject at hand.

The tutorial program consists of 16 workshop sessions for the year (8 each semester), delivered in small-group settings of about 20 students in each group.  Each of these sessions is meant to give you a combination of skills delivery and a workshop element relating to your first year course assessments for ‘Thinking Sociologically’ taught by Dr. Mary Benson and 'Modern Irish Society' taught by Dr. Eamonn Slater.

In each session you will be presented with the chance to identify and start developing a specific skill in relation to an assignment (essay/exam) that you are working on for these courses. As such tutorials are a key component in both of these first year courses.

The tutorial sessions are NOT meant to be time for tutors to teach you the content of these two lecture courses. Instead, tutors will use examples from the content of the course to demonstrate certain sets of skills to you. As always, if you have content questions about the course, feel free to contact the first year lecturer directly.

In the end, attending tutorials, completing the assigned reading, participating and completing the assignments on time will give you the chance to improve your results.